Nikon 8X Super Zoom

As the name of this camera indicates, the strong point about this camera was its Zoom lens. The 8x zoom at that time was a novelty. This camera can't be compared with its post generation cameras like Canon 814, but Yashica's construction, and choice of material in their 8 mm cameras was far more superior than this example from Nikon.

Other functions like the folding handle, and zoom are reasonably well designed, and the satin finish on the lens is also very appealing. The diaphragm drive mechanism on this camera does use servo but it's not as good as Yashica SU 60E. Later Nikon super 8 series were much better built than this older model. Usually, higher range 8 mm zoom cameras like this also come with more advanced features like the slow motion but Nikon decided to emphasize only on the zoom. Canon also offered a 20X zoom model with the same entry level features.

Optomechanics

Nikon 8X Super Zoom is good optically but the electronics is like telephone style, and the plastic injection molding is not so well done. Other than that, good mechanical design, and optics is there. There are to motors one for zoom, and one for film advance. Good things could be said about its diecast Aluminum body, good use of materials for its gears. Leica has poor material selection of its gears because they would split, and stop workings (all their white gears), but these white gears in Nikon seem intact.

The electronics circuit board material is poor in Nikon, and some of the electrical contacts like the rocking zoom switch place too much pressure on its plastics, and they break off when they reach this age.